“I just hope Mother won’t be blinded by her own self-righteous feelings,” Lu Chi said with a completely serious expression.

“I’ll beat you to death, you little rascal!” Lu Ting flew into a rage, standing up to thrash him.

Shi Fa Ke, who had been watching the entire scene, was dumbfounded. She just felt that… this scene was extraordinarily familiar, exactly like when her father beat her third brother. So Lu Second Brother was essentially a troublemaker at heart too?

So… Lu Second Brother, was the injury on your face really from accidentally bumping into a door?! Wasn’t it from being beaten by your father?!

So… Jinman Tower was actually the Lu family’s property? The Shen family was just managing it?

So… Madam Shen, who was called the proprietor’s wife… was Lu Aunt’s former servant?

She felt as if she had learned some incredible gossip!

“Alright, Lu Ting, sit down.” Xu Feiqiong rubbed her forehead. “His face hasn’t fully healed yet. Don’t break his looks or it’ll be hard for him to find a wife later.”

Shi Fa Ke deeply agreed. This Lu Second Brother was already not in great shape for finding a wife! If his face got ruined too, what would they do! His good looks were his strongest advantage!

Also, the injury on Lu Second Brother’s face was indeed from being too much of a troublemaker and getting beaten by his father, right!

Lu Ting glared at Lu Chi but ultimately sat down.

“I want to visit the Shen family tomorrow to see Qi Niang,” Xu Feiqiong said suddenly.

This time, all three father and sons frowned.

“See, none of you believe that Qi Niang hasn’t changed,” Xu Feiqiong glared at them angrily.

“Cough.” Lu Ting coughed. “It’s not that… it’s not that…”

“I know you all feel sorry for me.” Xu Feiqiong suddenly smiled. “I’m fine. I just want to see if the Qi Niang from back then is still there. If she’s a friend, then I can experience the joy of reunion after long separation like today’s reunion with A Qiao. If she’s not…”

“If she’s not… then what?” Lu Ting asked somewhat nervously.

Xu Feiqiong smiled but didn’t say anything more. She just turned to Lu Zhushi and said, “Zhushi, go to the Zhu residence tomorrow. The Grand Madam Zhu wants to meet you.”

“Good, thank you, Mother.” Lu Zhushi knew this meant Grand Madam Zhu had tacitly allowed him to visit Yanyan openly. His heart was joyful, but he was also concerned about Mother saying she wanted to see Yu Qi Niang tomorrow. His thoughts turned slightly and he had already made up his mind. He smiled and said to her, “Then if you want to go to the Shen family tomorrow, let Father accompany you.”

Lu Ting glanced at his eldest son. Though he didn’t know what he was up to, he was generally steady in his actions, so he also chimed in, “Yes, if you want to go tomorrow, I’ll accompany you.”

Xu Feiqiong smiled and gave him a reproachful look, finding it somewhat amusing.

Like today when she went to the Zhu residence, he insisted on following along. But Old Master Zhu didn’t manage affairs, Grand Master Zhu wasn’t home, and when she wanted to catch up with A Qiao, he just sat alone in the outer hall drinking tea until his stomach was full.

This man, to protect her, really didn’t care about face at all.

While their family was chatting, Shi Fa Ke sat quietly to the side, suddenly feeling that something wasn’t quite right…

Eh? How did she, an outsider, end up sitting here eating with the Lu family like this?

It seemed… not quite proper?

But she had almost finished eating. Would it be even stranger to stand up now? Why was she sitting here in the first place?

Hmm, originally she had just come here to wait for news from Lu Aunt, but when it was nearly noon and Lu Aunt still hadn’t returned, she felt hungry, so she cooked with Lu Chi…

When they were eating, it was originally just her and Lu Chi. Later Lu Uncle and Lu Aunt came back… then Lu Big Brother also returned… and it became like this?

Speaking of which, why hadn’t she felt anything was wrong before?

Ah! It was because there were more shocking things.

The person marrying Zhu Yanyan wasn’t Lu Chi, but his big brother Lu Zhushi?!

What was going on here!

Had she arranged a fake marriage? She, a matchmaker, had gotten the groom wrong from beginning to end? If word of this got out, who would dare ask her to be a matchmaker?

What a disgrace!

Shi Fa Ke was about to doubt her existence.

After dinner, Lu Ting coaxed Xu Feiqiong to go out for a walk. Lu Zhushi went into his room to get something and hurried out again.

So only Shi Fa Ke and Lu Chi were left in the house again.

Shi Fa Ke didn’t even notice these things. She was still trapped in deep self-doubt…

“A Ke?” Lu Chi saw her spacing out continuously and couldn’t stand it anymore, so he gently pushed her.

Shi Fa Ke came back to her senses, looked at him, her gaze dejected. She asked the question that had been bothering her, “…When did the groom become Lu Big Brother?”

Lu Chi saw her looking deeply affected and felt both amused and sorry for her, so he told her what had happened that day.

“…So the person who saved Yanyan back then was Lu Big Brother, not you?” After hearing Lu Chi explain the whole story, Shi Fa Ke was dumbfounded.

“I told you from the beginning that Zhu Yanyan recognized the wrong person, but you didn’t believe me.” Lu Chi spread his hands with a very innocent expression.

Shi Fa Ke thought about it and it seemed to be true… he had been denying it all along, but Zhu Yanyan didn’t believe him.

Since Zhu Yanyan didn’t believe him, she naturally suspected he was being irresponsible… and even found someone to test him, resulting in his injury. Thinking about it this way, Shi Fa Ke suddenly felt she was absolutely heinous.

Especially since he still had injuries on his face, which deepened her memory of that day.

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine. Being blinded by a single leaf is human nature,” Lu Chi said meaningfully.

But Shi Fa Ke didn’t catch that meaningful undertone. She was very dejected now. The one who saved Zhu Yanyan that day was Lu Big Brother, and Zhu Yanyan was marrying Lu Big Brother too. So this marriage had nothing to do with Lu Chi from beginning to end. She had been busy for nothing!

Lu Chi saw her dejected look and felt a little emotional again. Just because the groom wasn’t him, she was this disappointed?

“Because the groom isn’t me, you’re this disappointed?” He looked at her and asked coolly.

For some reason, being looked at by him like this, Shi Fa Ke didn’t dare meet his gaze directly. She only looked away and mumbled quietly, “I’m disappointed that I was busy for nothing…”

Lu Chi understood her meaning and deflated at once.

Getting angry with this fool really wasn’t worth it!

“Even though the groom isn’t me, you’re still the matchmaker,” Lu Chi sighed and said resignedly, “You won’t be short of your matchmaker’s red envelope.”

Shi Fa Ke thought about it and her eyes immediately brightened again. Hey! That was exactly right.

Good, she was immediately full of energy again.

After becoming energetic, Shi Fa Ke finally realized… hmm? How were only she and Lu Chi left in the house again?

“Where are Lu Uncle and Aunt?”

Lu Chi’s mouth twitched. “Father and Mother went out for a walk, Big Brother went out on business.”

“Is Lu Aunt alright?” Shi Fa Ke asked with some concern. Although she had only spent a few short days with Lu Aunt, she really liked this lovely and gentle lady. It was rare to see her emotions so low.

“Don’t worry, my mother is much tougher than she looks,” Lu Chi waved his hand.

…Hey, is that how you talk about your own mother!

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Lu Chi laughed. “Don’t worry, tomorrow that Qi Niang will definitely catch up with my mother properly.”

“You also think that Madam Shen hasn’t changed?” Shi Fa Ke’s eyes lit up. “That Madam Shen lives in seclusion. Although I’ve never seen her, I heard she’s very virtuous. Master Shen’s… I mean Shopkeeper Shen’s clothes and shoes are all made by her hands.”

“How many virtuous women are there in Tongluo Town? How many of them can spread the reputation of virtue like that Madam Shen?” Lu Chi smiled, looking very dismissive.

Shi Fa Ke was stunned and suddenly understood.

Yes, her father’s clothes and shoes, and even their siblings’ clothes, were all made by her mother’s hands. But why didn’t her mother spread any reputation for virtue?

That Madam Shen was not simple.

“But if that’s the case… how can you be sure that Madam Shen will properly catch up with Lu Aunt tomorrow?” Shi Fa Ke said with some worry.

“My father and big brother will be there,” Lu Chi said very matter-of-factly.

Hey, that’s your mother too!

Don’t act like you’re washing your hands of it!

“No… even if Lu Uncle and Lu Big Brother are very capable, how could they influence Madam Shen’s attitude and thoughts?” Shi Fa Ke still couldn’t figure it out.

“Guess what my big brother took with him when he left?” Lu Chi showed his white teeth and suddenly smiled eerily.

“…What?”

“That Madam Shen’s indenture contract.”

“…Madam Shen’s indenture contract still exists?” Shi Fa Ke was very surprised, then immediately realized that Madam Shen herself probably didn’t know… otherwise how could she be so reckless.

“Mm, my big brother has been keeping it,” Lu Chi glanced at Shi Fa Ke. “My big brother, don’t look at his upright and resolute face, but he’s actually full of more schemes than anyone.”

Hey, is that how you talk about your own big brother!

“My big brother had a good relationship with Shen Qing when they were young. For Shen Qing’s sake, even if the Shen mother and daughter caused trouble, he wouldn’t really care. After all, he’s not short of money. Those betrothal gifts could be bought elsewhere to make up for it, just more troublesome…” Lu Chi paused before continuing, “My mother is his reverse scale. Yu Qi Niang made Mother sad, so Big Brother is truly angry now.”

…What about you? Aren’t you her biological son?

How can you act so nonchalant!

Lu Chi was amused by her accusing gaze and laughed until his shoulders shook. “I told you my mother isn’t that fragile. It’s just Father and Big Brother who always treat her like a glass person. Actually…”

“Actually what?”

“Actually my mother is also a beautiful and delicate glass person,” Lu Chi said with complete seriousness.

Shi Fa Ke was stunned. This routine felt so familiar… She instinctively turned around and sure enough saw Lu Aunt leaning against the doorway, looking at Lu Chi with a half-smile…

“Mother, you’re back. Where’s Father?” Lu Chi asked with a beaming smile, his attitude very attentive.

Mm, his survival instincts were strong.

“He went to buy snow crisps for me, the kind with a really long queue,” Xu Feiqiong said with a smile.

At the mention of snow crisps, Shi Fa Ke quietly swallowed her saliva, then quietly shuddered… So Lu Aunt had deliberately ditched Lu Uncle and come back alone…

“Where’s your big brother?” Xu Feiqiong asked.

“Hmm, probably afraid you’d be hurt by Yu Qi Niang’s attitude when you see her tomorrow, so he’s probably teaching Yu Qi Niang how a former servant should speak when meeting her old master,” Lu Chi shrugged.

This operation was quite something…

Xu Feiqiong was stunned, then laughed. “That silly child…”